VPN community uses a pre-shared secret
At a glance
Base severity
Area
Platform
Evidence level
Benchmark reference
Reads the export, not the device
ConfigProof reads a configuration export. This control is evaluated against the objects in that file, and it reports what the file says. It does not connect to the device and sees no traffic, so a finding here describes the configuration, not what the firewall is doing right now.
Why it matters
A shared secret is rarely rotated, is often reused across peers, and with IKEv1 can be attacked offline. Gateways one management server manages can use certificates from its internal CA instead.
How to fix it
Web interface
The steps below are written for the web interface. A finding raised on your own export carries the same steps with your object names filled in.
- In SmartConsole, open the VPN community > Shared Secret and clear Use only Shared Secret for all external members, so the community's Check Point gateways authenticate with certificates.
- Publish, then install the policy on the gateways that use it.
Command line
Check Point mgmt_cli and Gaia clish
mgmt_cli login > id.txtmgmt_cli set <community-type> name "<community>" use-shared-secret false -s id.txtmgmt_cli publish -s id.txtmgmt_cli logout -s id.txt
An example. Values in angle brackets are yours to supply; a finding on your own export fills in the names it read. Nothing here installs a policy. Publish, review, then install the policy on your gateways yourself; Gaia changes need save config.
Read it back
mgmt_cli show <community-type> name "<community>"Values to fill in2
- <community-type>
- vpn-community-star or vpn-community-meshed, as the community is
- <community>
- The VPN community to change
Before you type it4
- Written from the Check Point Management API reference and Gaia clish syntax, not yet run on a device. Read each line before typing it.
- Run on the management server, or add -m with the server and -u with an administrator to each call; publish makes the change visible to other sessions.
- Install the policy on the affected gateways after reviewing the published change.
- Use set vpn-community-star or set vpn-community-meshed to match the community, and confirm every peer supports the change first.
How to confirm the fix
- Confirm each gateway in the community has a valid VPN certificate before the install.
Limits
- No limitation is recorded for this control beyond the one that applies to all of them: it reads a configuration export.
Compliance references
No benchmark recommendation is mapped to this control in this version.
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